Instant Activities

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Grade Level: 2nd and Up

Equipment: A playing area with lots of lines

Directions:
Identify 2-3 students to be the "Line Monsters". Their job is to move through the playing area (i.e., walking, sliding, hopping) trying to tag their classmates. Their classmates try to avoid getting tagged but they are only allowed to move on the lines of the playing area. The "line monsters" can move anywhere in the playing area.

When students are tagged they are to freeze immediately. Also, if their classmates (the ones walking on the lines) fall off or intentionally move off the lines while tagging they are also to freeze (just as if they were tagged).

A person can become unfrozen when they are tagged by a classmate who is not frozen. The goal for the "line monsters" is to freeze everyone. If a frozen player is in the way of an active player, they can choose to unfreeze them or they can "jump" to another line.

Add more "line monsters" if they are having a difficult time getting everyone frozen. Choose new monsters and begin again.

Safety Tips:

  Make sure to stress students need to be careful movers on the lines. Students turning around quickly pose a safety threat to the children traveling forward behind them. Please demonstrate this.
  Make sure kids who are not staying the lines freeze!

Grade Level: 4th and Up

Equipment: index cards with instructions/activities written on them, couple of boxes to put cards in, various balls, hoops, cones, and other equipment that match the activities on the cards, stop watch or clock on wall that students can see, upbeat music

Directions:

       Put a number of index cards with written activities and instructions (see below) on them in one or two boxes in the gym.  Divide your class into groups of two or three. Have the students read an activity index card from one of the boxes. They are to return the card to the box and then their task is to perform the activity as it was explained on the card.

       It is fine to use one box but I use two boxes so they aren't doing the same activity at the same time. Tell the students how many activity cards they will have to complete (older students can do 5-8, younger students 3 or 4). It is best to mix up harder tasks with easy ones. Inform the students that you have the authority to have them do the activity again if you notice them not doing it
properly or following the directions on the card.

Sample Activities for Index Cards: (*adapt to bowling lesson for the day)
(These are a mixture of elem. and secondary activities)
 

•        score two goals a piece while playing Push Up Position Hockey
•        play leapfrog from one end of the gym to the other
•        hula hoop with a partner for a minute without it falling to the floor
•        tell your teacher the most important cues for bowling a ball
•        jump rope around the the gym or track do the macarena dance with a partner for 3 min.
•        take your heart rate and record it on a piece of paper
•        make a victory dance for when you make a strike
•        20 overhand / underhand throws with a partner
•        volley a ball back and forth without it hitting the floor 5 times
•        25 figure 8 basketball dribbles around each leg
•        30 abdominal crunches
•        3 successful tennis serves
•        Rest for one minute while doing an appropriate stretch (this can't be your first activity       because we don't stretch cold muscles). If you get this card first please select another one.

Variations:

       As students get used to this instant activity, you may want to hide the box so then one of their tasks is to first find it and then do the task.  This adds some excitement.
       Add music and when you stop the music that means they have to get another card regardless

Grade Level: 2 and up

Equipment: One bean bag for each student (plus a few extras), cones for boundaries, and a safe playing area.

Directions:

       Set up cones to designate boundaries for an activity similar to tag. Give each student a bean bag. Have students scatter in the playing area.

       On the teacher's signal students move through the playing area trying to slide (underhand throw) their bean bag on the ground attempting to "hit" the feet of other students. If no "hit" is made, the student retrieves a beanbag and continues playing still trying to "hit" other classmates feet. If a "hit" is made, the student who was "hit" raises their beanbag (they need to go get a bean bag if one isn't with them) above their head with legs spread. To free the "hit" frozen student, another child slides their bean bag from behind and says, "Sarah, you're free". Tell the students that they are only allowed to carry ONE beanbag at a time in their hand. Stop the game occasionally to remind children to help the "hit" students resume play or to rest and take pulse. Play for 3-4 minutes

Variations:
 

•        Have students check their heart rates before and after the activity.
•        Have students throw with their non-dominant hand.
•        Use yarn balls or another type of soft ball (deflated balls may work as well) to play the       activity outside.
•        Have tagged students balance the beanbag on their head until unfrozen.
•        Have extra bean bags on hand just in case.

       *Set up boundary cones so they are away from walls. Students have a tendency to run after stray balls with their head down.
       *Make sure your students have a good grasp on moving in general space with others in a dynamic setting.
       *Start the activity off by walking. Then change to more difficult locomotor movements as you are satisfied with safety.

Grade Level: K and up

Equipment: Cones to mark off activity area

Directions:

       After the students arrive have them spread out safely in the general space you have defined by the cones. On your signal their task is to move throughout the general space using a locomotor movement of your choice (bowling movements). Change those patterns throughout this activity.

       On the stop signal (drum, clap, whistle, voice) students are to stop and using SLOW MOTION act out an activity that is a part of a sport of their choice. For example, if they chose baseball as their sport then they can choose to act out the batting movement. This must be in very slow motion as your task is to try to guess a few while you are moving around.

       After a minute of them demonstrating in slow motion, their job is to begin moving throughout general space again on your signal. On the next stop signal, have them choose a different activity in a sport to slow motion. Repeat and use the variations listed below to add excitement.

Variations:
 

•   Have them move in pairs and then they are to freeze and act out the activity with each other.
•   Call out the sport or activity so they don't have choices.
•   Write down what sports you see and tell them at the end. Encourage them to choose activities or sports that you may not know so they try to "fool" the teacher. Swimming, ballroom dancing, ice skating, may be some choices.
•   Have the whole group freeze, have half the class on one side of the room stand and their task is to watch the other half doing their slow motion sport movements. Have them keep their guesses to themselves and then switch sides.

Grade Level: K and up

Equipment: Masking or Vinyl tape, a wall, Polyspots (one for each student), and small bounce balls (one for each student)

Directions:

       Make the following shapes using tape on the wall: circle, square, diamond, rectangle, and hexagon. Spread out the Polyspots along the wall (at least 6 feet from the wall). Have each student get a bounce ball and find a Polyspot. On the teacher's "GO" signal, students underhand throw to a target (shape). Have students keep their own score: one point each time they hit a target (shape).
Encourage students to aim for different shapes in their throwing area.

Suggestions:
 

•   Make the shapes different sizes and tape them at different levels on the wall. This way students can choose their own level of difficulty.
•   Set up extra Polyspots so students have more target choices.
•   Instead of masking tape, cut shapes from colored construction paper or use foil (students like the    noise).
•   Use other targets such as stars, irregular shapes, pictures of animals, etc.
•   Have students find another Polyspot every 30 seconds.
•   Instead of bounce balls, use whiffle balls or foam balls.
•   When students are ready, have them overhand throw.

Grade Level: 2nd and Up

Equipment: Cones for boundaries, pinnies to designate groups

Directions:  Use bowling pins instead of cones

After randomly setting cones (these cones should be light so they are easily knocked over) throughout the playing area explain to the students that there will be two groups moving around the general space during this activity. One group, the Bulldozers, will wear pinnies and their job is to go around tipping over as many buildings (cones) as they can.

The Builders are to rebuild the fallen cones by standing the fallen cones back up. All students will have to travel from cone to cone using a pre-determined locomotor movement (walk, hop, jump, etc.). Have the students switch groups midway through the instant activity.

Variation: Have the Bulldozers knock down the cones with different body parts (e.g. knees, toes, hips, etc.).

Caution: Please have students walk in general space before trying to run and do this activity. As you see them get more adept at moving through space then you can add more difficult locomotor movements like skipping, sliding, and/or skipping.

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